Unite the union has settled its current long running blacklisting case against the construction companies who systematically ruined the lives of their workers.

As part of the overall settlement, which is subject to court approval, 53 blacklisted workers will receive over £1.9 million in compensation. The defendants have also agreed to pay Unite’s legal fees.

In a legal breakthrough the construction companies have agreed to place the substantial sum of £230,000 into a training fund which will be administered by Unite, for all victims of blacklisting who have brought proceedings. The fund is not restricted to retraining in the construction sector.

As part of the settlement, the judge’s permission will be sought for unilateral statements to be made in open court this Friday (17 May) and, if permission is granted, individual workers will explain how blacklisting ruined their lives.

The construction companies convened have also agreed to issue their own announcement, saying that they aim to work at national, regional and site level to ensure that the modern UK construction sector provides the highest standards of employment and HR practice. Unite will hold them to account in this regard.

The latest court case follows the 2016 court action which resulted in Unite securing £19.34 million for 412 blacklisted workers.

Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said “This is a historic agreement which provides some degree of justice to a further group of construction workers who had their working lives needlessly ruined by blacklisting construction companies. The creation of a training fund controlled by Unite is a huge breakthrough, and is to be welcomed, as it will allow the union to assist victims of blacklisting return to employment.”